The present invention relates to an apparatus for packaging objects to be disposed of into pouches formed along a tube of plastic material.
More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus for use to package waste material like, for example, babies"" disposable diapers, into a tube of flexible plastic material and to store the so packaged waste material in an hygienic and odor-free manner, until it is collected. However, it is worth mentioning that the invention is not exclusively restricted to the disposal of waste material and may actually be used for packaging any kind of objects to be disposed of.
Apparatuses of the above-mentioned type for use to package a waste material in such a manner as to reduce to a maximum extent the escape of bad odors, are already known. By way of non-restrictive examples, reference can be made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,368 of 1969 (COUPER) and Canadian patent No. 1,298,191 of 1992 (RICHARDS et al).
These known apparatuses basically comprise a container having an open or openable upper portion in which the waste to be disposed of may be inserted and a bottom portion in which the disposed waste are stored. A ring-shaped cassette is mounted in the upper portion of the container, for use to store in a pleated form, a tube of flexible plastic material into which the waste material may be inserted and stored.
In use, the waste to be disposed of is inserted into the tube at the upper portion of the container and the tube and waste are then pushed through the open center of the cassette towards the bottom portion of the container for storage purpose. Means are also provided for closing the tube below the cassette and thus preventing bad odor from escaping from the tube during storage.
In Canadian patent No. 1,298,191, these means are disclosed as a core that can be turned by a lid about a cylinder in order to twist the tube at regular intervals to form successive xe2x80x9cpouchesxe2x80x9d that are kept sealed while they are stored.
Also known in the art is Canadian laid-open application No. 2,383,799 which discloses an apparatus for packaging objects, especially used diapers or other waste material to be disposed of, into corresponding pouches formed along a tube made of a flexible plastic material. The apparatus comprises a container in the upper portion of which a ring-shaped cassette is mounted for storing the tube of flexible plastic material in a compacted form and allowing it to be pulled from the cassette and passed through the same towards the bottom portion of the container in order to receive and store the objects to be disposed while they are inserted into the upper portion of the container. A squeezing device is also mounted in the container below the cassette to pull the tube from the cassette and move it down together with the objects inserted into the container. This squeezing device comprises a pair of opposite rotatable members between which the tube is inserted. The rotatable members have a plurality of opposite bars extending transversely to the tube in order to squeeze this tube, keep it closed until other objects to be disposed of are inserted into the upper portion of the container, and pull it down to move the tube and the objects contained therein towards the bottom portion of the container for storage purpose. Actuation of the rotatable members in unison and in opposite direction to achieve the requested squeezing, closing and pulling down of the tube is preferably obtained by actuation of a closure lid that is part of the container.
The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the above-mentioned type, which includes a simple mechanism for ensuring that the objects to be disposed of are properly and hermetically inserted into the tube of flexible material.
In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in an apparatus for packaging objects to be disposed of into pouches formed along a tube of plastic material, which apparatus comprises:
a container having an upper portion with an opening having a vertical axis, and a lower portion;
a ring-shaped cassette mounted into the upper portion of the container coaxially with the opening, the cassette storing the tube of flexible plastic material in a compacted form and allowing it to be pulled from the cassette and moved towards the lower portion of the container in order to receive and store the objects to be disposed of which are inserted into the opening in the upper portion of the container;
a receiving area located below the opening and the cassette in the upper portion of the container, for receiving the objects to be inserted into the tube; and
a plunging device mounted onto the upper portion of the container for forcing the objects and a portion of the tube beyond the receiving area into the lower portion of the container.
The above-mentioned plunging device comprises two opposite arms mounted laterally inside the container. These arms each have a top and a bottom portion and they are adapted to move upwardly and downwardly along a predetermined course.
The plunging device also comprises two opposite flaps pivotably attached to the bottom of the arms. These flaps are orthogonal to the arms and each biased towards each other by at least one spring. The flaps also have interlocking edges abutting each other in a horizontal transverse manner relative to the arms. These flaps are opened when the objects are inserted into the opening and manually pushed down.
The plunging device further comprises a pair of opposite slides, orthogonal to the arms and external to the flaps. Each slide has a top portion and a bottom portion attached to each other by a pivot allowing the bottom portions to move towards and away from each other. The pivot lies in a horizontal transverse axis relative to the arms. The bottom portions of the slides are biased towards each other by at least one spring and comprise an interlocking means, which form a hermetic seal and abut in a parallel manner to the interlocking edges of the flaps.
In use, the bottom portions of the slides are kept away from each other by the bottom portion of the arms when the arms are moved upwardly or downwardly between the pivot and the bottom portions of the slides. The bottom portion of the slides are also forced together and thus prevent objects from going beyond the interlocking means of the slides when the bottom portion of the arms are at a position higher than the pivot of the slides.
Preferably, the two arms of the apparatus according to the invention are joined together at their top by a handle. Preferably also, a cover is provided on top of the container to close the opening. The cover may be spring-loaded for automatically opening and thus giving access to the opening. In such a case, the cover is kept closed when the arms of the plunging device are moved down within the container and, it gradually opens when the arms are lifted.
As it can be appreciated, the user of the apparatus according to the invention as disclosed hereinabove can place with one hand only the object to be disposed of beyond the flaps, but not beyond the slides which are kept closed by the arms. Then, the user may remove his or her hand and push the arms down to compress the object between the flaps and the slides. When the bottom portion of the arms reaches the pivot point, the second portion of the slides gradually opens and the object is then pushed beyond the slides into the plastic tube and into the bottom portion of the container. Then, the flaps get closed. The action of the flaps onto the objects pulls the plastic tube downwardly from the cassette as the object goes down. The object is thus hermetically sealed.
An advantage of the present invention is that if there is no object placed in the receiving area, the tube will not be pulled, as opposed to the prior art, where opening and closing of the arms will pull the tube into the bottom portion of the container, whether or not an object is placed in the tube.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it comprises less moving parts that are susceptible to jamming or breaking.
Furthermore, the apparatus is simpler to assemble and it uses less amount of tube than prior art devices since the length of the plunger, i.e. the distance between the open and closed positions of the apparatus is shorter.
As aforesaid the objects to be used with the present invention are preferably soiled diapers. However, any other object of appropriate size to be disposed of could also be packaged therein.